


The form of someone else

by Nidodin



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I just love them, M/M, dunno how this happened, i have many emotions about juno and ben, i wrote this instead of an essay and it shows, not gonna lie, sorry its short but im no good at long things, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:34:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22519336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nidodin/pseuds/Nidodin
Summary: In the early hours of the morning, Peter learns some things
Relationships: Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel
Comments: 6
Kudos: 110





	The form of someone else

**Author's Note:**

> Title is from Memories by Thutmose

Peter had been awake for awhile, despite it being around 3 A.M. He’d told Buddy he’d help her with blueprints for the next mission, and she liked to meet at early hours of the day. He didn’t particularly care, as often he’d already (or still) be awake then anyways. He didn’t want to wake Juno as he got ready, and was trying to move as quietly as possible.   
It was dark, with the blinds shut to ward off the overwhelming radiant light of passing stars, but Peter could still see enough to slink to the dresser. He gingerly slid open the drawer, straining to see the silky material that marked shirts as his. Both him and Juno were hopeless at keeping their items separate, so they had to dig to find what they were looking for. After muddling through to the bottom of it, his hand brushed along a piece of paper. He paused and retracted his hand, attempting to see what he’d found. It hadn’t been long since he’d begun putting clothes in Juno’s room, but he’d never come across this in that short time. In the faint light shining through the blinds, his eyes caught the edge of a photo. He knew most people had holographic photos instead of physical ones, so it must be fairly important if Juno still had it.   
Unthinkingly, his hand reached out, gently picking it up and bringing it into the light. The image was clear and bright, featuring what looked like Juno, in a loose tank top and sweatpants. But what caught Peter the most off guard was his face. He’d seen Juno smile before, the sneer of self contempt or a grimace of defiance, but Peter had never seen this sort of look on his face before. His eyes were closed, his mouth curving slightly upwards in a focused tranquility, and there was none of the tension that Peter knew Juno to carry regularly in his shoulders. His arms swept outwards in what looked to be in a battement, and that was when it clicked what Juno was doing in the photo.   
Peter had never imagined Juno to dance, let alone do ballet, yet here was a photo of just that. His eyes drifted over to the current Juno, still curled up in the sheets, and tried to reconcile that same lady doing ballottes or pirouettes. A stray light ray had begun peeking through the side of the blinds - a hint they were passing another planet - and slashed across Juno’s face, almost matching perfectly with the scar that was etched over the bridge of his nose. The Juno in the photo didn’t have that scar, and Peter had not yet asked what lead to its making. He didn’t know what to think about this clue to Juno’s past that he’d found, but he wanted to know about it. They’d had small conversations about themselves in their attempts to learn more about each other, but they hadn’t gone into any childhood memories. Peter did not have many on his own, at least ones that were worthy of sharing in a heart to heart with Juno, but he did not push Juno on his either. If they were to truly work, Peter knew that he would share on his own time and vowed to do the same. This image was a starting point to understanding Juno a little more, but Peter wanted to be able to hear it from the lady himself.   
Behind him, the blankets shifted and he heard Juno groan. Looking over his shoulder, he saw that the light beam had shifted enough straight into Juno’s eye, rousing him from his slumber. Peter watched him rub at his face as he sat up leisurely, and then he was glancing up as if he’d felt Peter’s gaze. It was then that he realized he was still holding the photo and he shifted uncomfortably, wanting Juno to make the first move. He watched Juno’s face as he took in Peter, the small item in his hand, and the open drawer. Juno’s shoulders curl inwards, his face falling carefully blank and his hands tightening around the blankets surrounding him. Then after a moment, he sighed and relaxed a little, his shoulders falling in the same motion as his head, and he dragged himself out of the bed and over to where Peter stood.   
Nothing was said as Juno delicately took the photo into his hands and focused on it, and then turned to the dresser. Peter expected the photo to be placed back and the drawer closed, but instead Juno shuffled things around and came back with four other photos. It was still rather dark where they were standing, and Juno’s next move was to move to the bed again, free hand having gripped the front of Peter’s shirt, softly tugging him forward, and settling gently on the edge. He reached over and flipped on the bedside light, glanced down at the photos, and held them out timidly in Peter’s direction. Peter smoothly took them and slid next to Juno on the bed. The photo he’d had previously sat on top, so he could see it clearer. He smiled softly at the again visible distinct contentment pictured, and flipped to the next photo.  
Immediately, he froze when he took in Juno, young and in a leather jacket that was much too big for him, underneath the arm of another Juno. He had known Juno had a brother, per their conversation years ago in the Kanagawa mansion, but he hadn’t known they were twins. Juno’s comment on his sibling had stuck with Peter, his bitterness and anguish in disclosing that his mother had done something terrible. He’d also been told a little about Juno’s growth in that area, explained haltingly when Juno had told him about the Theia and meeting Buddy, Jet, and Vespa. But still, Juno had not once mentioned his brother had been his twin, and thinking about it, Peter didn’t even know his name.   
“I… assume this is your brother, Juno?” He spoke softly, looking up to meet Juno’s eye.   
“Yeah. Ben. Benzaiten.” His voice wobbled.   
“I’m sorry, I didn’t intend for you to have to explain anything. We don’t have to speak about it now if you don’t want to.”   
“No. I-I’m fine. I want to talk about him, he doesn’t deserve to be something I can’t even think about anymore.”  
“Alright. I assume, then, the previous photo is him and not you?”   
Juno huffed out a laugh and looked back down at Peter’s hands, pulling the first photo into his.   
“No, it’s not me. He was a dancer, an amazing one. He did all sorts of dancing, he’s the one that taught me what I know.”  
“So when you said you had a good teacher…?”  
“Yeah.”  
“I see.” Peter flipped to the next photo. It displayed Juno and Ben again, this time much younger, and in the arms of an older woman, with the same dark, curly hair and warm, smooth skin that, Peter assumed, her children had.   
“That’s Ma. Sarah. That was when we still lived in Halcyon, before- yeah. Before.” Juno had tensed, and Peter did not press.   
“You and Ben are strikingly similar.”  
“Yeah, we always were. Until I got this scar,” He reached up and knocked on his nose, “no one could tell us apart from Ma, Sasha, and Mick, somehow. I think that was just ‘cause our personalities were different. Ben was always more… hopeful.” Peter surveyed the photo once more, marking the names in his head as important, and flipped to the next photo. It pictured 3 teenagers, the leftmost one being Juno (Peter knew this because of the scar - not quite fresh despite him not being that old. Peter’s heart ached), sulking and once again under the arm of a taller, lanky boy with long hair tied up behind him. The boy grinned largely, his eyes squinted shut and the fingers on Juno’s shoulder throwing up a ‘V.’ On his other side, there was a girl, dark hair cut short and back straight. Peter would’ve called her stoic if not for the meager smile that traced her lips, as if she were keeping herself from letting them curve upwards. He also recalled that she looked remarkably similar to -  
“That’s Sasha, Sasha Wire. Met her when we moved into Old Town, and you probably know about her from the mask case.”  
“Yes she hasn’t changed much, has she?”  
“Nope. Probably never will either. She’s stubborn like that.” He gave a soft chuckle and then shifted his hand. “This is Mick. He was involved in some of the Soul stuff, but I think he’s alright now. I told him, when Rita and I left with the big guy to travel, but haven’t heard from him since. He’s probably running some dumb, new bit he thinks’ll take off.”  
“You all look happy.”  
“I… I think we were. Somehow, even if it wasn’t good, even if I wasn’t good, together, we were happy.” His shoulders slumped inwards a little, and Peter reached over and intertwined their fingers between their thighs. Although Juno was frowning under Micks weight, Peter still saw that he was leaning into it, and his eyes didn’t match his face. He’d have to thank the two someday for helping keep Juno together during those years.   
The last photo was Juno and Ben again, hugging each other from the side with wide grins - ones that would’ve been the same if not for Juno missing a tooth on the right - and Ben dangling a golden medal from a ribbon in his hand. The image was charming, the bright red of the ribbon and the shining gold of the medal contrasting against Ben’s dark blue outfit, his hair slicked back out of his face but still out of place - from exertion or because their hair was like that, Peter did not know - and small traces of makeup on his face. He must’ve just finished a dance competition, having won from the looks of it. Ben’s eyes were shut, but Juno’s were open, gaze matching the excitement of his grin and holding nothing but pride and affection for his sibling. He looked nice, a light yellow button up with a dark blue pleated skirt, and bright red lips. Despite what he wore nowadays, wandering the ship halls, Peter knew Juno had a good fashion taste. His mouth quirked up and he glanced at the lady next to him. Juno’s eye was soft, focused on the photo, but lightyears away.   
Peter started softly, “What did he win?”  
Juno blinked and looked up at him with the ghost of a smile. “It was a swing competition. Him and his partner came in first, and he’d had someone scouting him for a dance academy out in Olympus Mons.”  
“Sounds like he knew what he was doing.”  
“He did. He was amazing. He would’ve done really well at that school. This was… This was his last competition, a few months before… before he died.” Juno’s voice died out with the last part, and tears welled up in his eye. Peter squeezed his hand. “He would’ve left. If he’d been able to go to the school earlier, or- or if she’d just waited a little longer, he could’ve gotten out and he never would’ve-” He broke, curling in over his lap and the photos he held of his family. He’d removed his fingers from Peter’s to bring them to his face, so Peter wound his arms around his shoulders, and gently ran his fingers through Juno’s hair. It was tangled from sleep, and Peter remembered it was still early in the morning, and he was supposed to be meeting Buddy soon. He let Juno cry, continuing his motions of comfort. When he was done, he moved upwards and further into Peter’s arms. Peter loosened his hold, but lightly pushed down until they were lying sideways on the bed.   
“Is there anything to help, Love?”   
Juno tightened his hold around Peter’s abdomen and shook his head into his chest.  
“I just wanna stay here.” There was no interest in making Juno do anything he didn’t want, so he reached up and grabbed his comms, messaged Buddy that he’d help her later in the day, and maneuvered Juno into a more comfortable position. After they were settled, Peter heard a soft “thank you” from his arms and then Juno’s breath evening out into sleep once again.   
Juno might’ve lost his brother, his original family, but there was no way Peter was letting him lose this one.

**Author's Note:**

> I got real soft and love benten so i decided to write this somehow. you can yell at me about various things on tumblr @nidopul


End file.
